Chapter 98
In the first-floor lobby of the company stood two female receptionists. In the past, every time Mai-senpai arrived, they would greet her very warmly. But now, even though she stood right in front of them, they didn't sense her presence at all and continued chatting happily with each other.
Besides those two receptionists, other staff members occasionally walked back and forth through the lobby.
Photographers!
Makeup artists!
Planners!
These people had once contributed to Mai-senpai's career as a star. But now, not a single person remembered her anymore!
Despite standing in the middle of a very conspicuous lobby, Mai-senpai still felt as if there were a world's worth of distance between her and everyone else!
Biting her thin lip, Mai-senpai walked straight toward the elevator.
"Let's go straight upstairs!"
After hearing her words, Mineo immediately followed behind her. But right at that moment!
An elegant, beautiful woman dressed in office lady (OL) attire stepped out of the elevator. Seeing her, Mai-senpai's footsteps instantly came to a halt.
"Mom... Mom..."
Mai-senpai's voice wasn't very loud, but as long as the distance wasn't far, it should have been audible! However, the unexpected happened.
Her mother simply walked right past her. Even when their shoulders brushed slightly, her mother's pace didn't falter!
In other words, even she... has completely forgotten me?
At this moment, Mai-senpai's face turned pale. Turning slightly, she looked at Mineo with a tone of self-mockery.
"It seems the time for me to disappear completely is almost here!"
"Mineo-kun... tomorrow... will even you forget me too!?"
Seeing Mai-senpai's thin shoulders trembling slightly, Mineo slowly stepped forward and pulled her into his embrace.
"What are you thinking!"
"Did you forget what I told you before?"
"Even if the whole world forgets you, there's no way I will!"
"I'm still waiting to marry you and bring you into the Takamine family! If you disappear, I'll be in quite a bind!"
"Don't overthink things right now. I'm taking you somewhere!"
As he spoke, Mineo took Mai-senpai's small, fair hand in his.
"Mineo-kun, where are you taking me?"
"To the amusement park! Since other people can't see you anyway, I'll tag along to get us in for free and we'll play at the park all day! What's that saying? Even if there are many obstacles before our eyes, we must keep our hearts happy at all times! Don't go giving up before the hurdles even knock you down!"
"By the way, Senpai, can I ask you one thing?"
"What is it!?"
"Have you ever been to an amusement park?"
"Never."
"Never, huh? That's great. In that case, let me, an experienced veteran, take you out for some fun today!"
Initially, Mai-senpai thought Mineo was taking her to the amusement park because he had some sort of plan!
To her surprise, throughout the day, Mineo really did take her on a wild, non-stop spree of fun.
Amusement parks!
The movie theater!
Commercial districts!
Clothing stores!
He took her to experience almost every place frequently visited by couples!
By the time they returned home, it was already past 10 PM. After showering, the two of them returned to the bedroom!
Two beds were placed side-by-side; Mineo and Mai-senpai each lay under their own covers. Even though the lights were off, Mai-senpai still couldn't calm her heart, which felt anything but still.
In the silence of the middle of the night, she quietly listened to Mineo's breathing and heartbeat. At the same time, Mineo also listened to the soft sound of her breaths.
"Senpai! You're not asleep yet? You have to go to school tomorrow. If you don't sleep now, you might be late from oversleeping!"
"Go to school?"
Hearing Mineo's words, an indescribable doubt appeared in Mai-senpai's eyes.
"Is there still any point? Now, I... should have been forgotten by everyone."
"Even if you're forgotten, you still have to go! You're still a student, and studying hard is the main priority! Just do as I say, get some rest early, and then go to school on time tomorrow morning! Oh, and I'll wake up early to prepare a lunch box for you!"
Hearing Mineo's words, Mai-senpai's heart was momentarily filled with a mix of complex emotions. Her eyes suddenly felt a stinging sensation, but she held back her tears! After a few seconds of silence, she spoke softly:
"Mineo-kun!"
"Why are you treating me like this!?"
"Is all of this really worth it?"
"What do you mean by 'worth it' or not!? What are you trying to say, Mai-senpai?"
"If I were to disappear tomorrow, would everything you've done... still have any meaning?"
Hearing her words, Mineo spoke with a bit of helplessness:
"Mai-senpai, I took you out to play all day today, has your mood still not improved?"
"I told you already, leave everything to me! What are you worried about!"
"Trust me, you won't be wrong! I'll make your life return to normal!"
"Just trust me this once, okay? Be a good girl, get some rest, and go to school tomorrow! Besides, I really want to see your cute appearance in a school uniform! I'm sure you'll look beautiful!"
"Even in a situation like this, you're still thinking about seeing me in a uniform... Mineo-kun really is the Mineo-kun I know!"
Mai-senpai's lips curled into a faint, thin arch. In her eyes, clear as water, a faint crystalline shimmer also flickered.
She was smiling, not crying.
Because those simple words from Mineo had truly brought an indescribable sense of warmth and emotion to her heart.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
50 Power Stone = 1 Bonus Chapter (Up to 5 bonus chapters per week).
Read ahead and support the story on Patreon: patreon.com/FaaanzKun
✅ 65+ chapters ahead of WebNovel
✅ 2-6 new chapters every day (Monday–Saturday), exclusive on Patreon
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —